Befriend the Beast
by SassyNinja130
Summary: Since the ninja's death, Lloyd has been more and more protective of those around him. When Skylar, PIXAL, and Nya are on a mission, they make an unexpected (and giant) friend. But will Lloyd be as excepting? (Takes place between seasons 8 and 9) (Rated T just in case)
1. Chapter 1

**A/n: Hello, everyone! I know it's been a while since I last uploaded. I've had lots of schoolwork. Because the holidays are coming up, I've had more time to work on writing. This is a different genre than my usual stories, so I hope you like it.**

Ever since Garmadon's Colossi killed baby Wu and the ninja, Lloyd had been more worried for everyone's safety. He no longer had his powers, so he wasn't confident that he could protect himself, much less Ninjago City.

The only ones left were him, Nya, PIXAL, Misako, Skylar, and Mistake. Lloyd hadn't even told them the full truth about how the other ninja died. All he had said was that they had been tragically killed at the hands of Garmadon.

Lloyd thought that was better than telling them his father's giant rock monster (Colossi) had smashed the Destiny's Bounty. He decided he would tell the truth when they defeated Garmadon. Until then, he had no reason to make them feel any worse about what happened.

Though all of the girls could take care of themselves, Lloyd still worried every time they went on a mission.

Today was no exception.

"Lloyd!" Nya called, "Ultra Violet is terrorizing the children at the orphanage again!"

"Seriously? When will she ever quit?" Lloyd groaned. He stood up from the table where he and PIXAL had been playing checkers. It reminded him of when Zane used to play chess with him. PIXAL won every game, just like Zane always had. Lloyd smiled at the memory.

"Do you want us all to go? It looks like Killow is there, too." Nya told him.

"No, it's fine. I can handle it." Lloyd said, grabbing his sword from the counter of Mistake's tea shop.

"It would be foolish to go without backup." PIXAL said.

"I'll be okay. You guys worry too much." The green ninja called as he left the shop.

"Says the guys who won't let us use anything but safety scissors because we might cut ourselves." Skylar scoffed, "We're going to follow him anyway, right?"

"Yep." Nya said.

"Of course." PIXAL agreed. The three girls stood up and grabbed their weapons, then left the shop to go find Lloyd. A few minutes later, Mistake and Misako emerged from the backroom carrying a plate full of cookies.

"Lloyd! We made your favorite cookies; chocolate chip with honey!" Misako announced.

"Yeah, and it wasn't easy, either. I'm not a very good cook, and honey is difficult to work with. You owe me, boy!" Mistake yelled. "Hey, where did everyone go?" She asked.

Meanwhile, Lloyd was already halfway to the orphanage.

 _"_ _Don't talk too loud. He'll hear us through the communicator."_ Lloyd heard Nya's voice.

 _"_ _Why did we all have to cram in PIXAL's VXL? We have our own cars, you know."_

 _"_ _Because it's just easier this way, Skylar."_

 _"_ _Shh! Lloyd will hear us!"_

"Too late, Nya. I know you're following me. Don't." Lloyd said.

 _"_ _Dang it! Who left their earpiece turned on?!"_ Nya asked.

 _"_ _I think it was my fault."_ Skylar said. Lloyd could hear Nya's groan from over the communicator. He chuckled.

The girls may not all have powers like Kai, Zane, Cole, and Jay did, but they were sure fun to be around. And they genuinely cared about him. The green ninja pulled up outside the orphanage.

"I'm here." He said, "And I'm going in."

 _"_ _No. Wait for us to get there."_ Nya ordered.

"Too late." Lloyd told her, and switched his communicator off. He drew his sword, and entered the building.

Lloyd slowly walked down the hallway, but he couldn't see anything. There were no children, no chaperones, no visitors, nothing. He couldn't hear anything. None of the normal sounds of crying or laughing were present, like they normally were in an orphanage.

In fact, the place didn't look like it had had children living there in years. Maybe Nya had the wrong address? No, she was used to tracking down the Sons of Garmadon. Surely she hadn't made a mistake. Had she?

What the green ninja didn't know was that Ultra Violet and Killow had been waiting for him. They knew he would be coming alone, and figured it would be the perfect time to attack. Lloyd was in for a bad surprise.

:::::::

By the time Nya, PIXAL, and Skylar got to the orphanage, Killow and Ultra Violet had finished with Lloyd, and gone back to Garmadon. When the girls found him, he was suffering from several stab wounds, lying on the ground outside the building.

"He's losing blood, fast." PIXAL said, "We need to get him to a hospital."

"I'll call an ambulance." Skylar told her, whipping out her phone.

"I'll call Misako. PIXAL, keep him stable." Nya ordered.

Misako was there within two minutes. The ambulance came not long after her, and Lloyd was taken to the emergency room. The doctors announced that he would need surgery, and the operation began.

"Whatever could have made him go off on his own like that?" Misako asked when Lloyd was under surgery.

"I don't know." Skylar admitted, "He's been acting super annoying lately." Nya elbowed her. "Ow!" She exclaimed.

"What I think Skylar means is that Lloyd has just been more protective lately." Nya said, "And, I mean, who can blame him? He lost his four brothers and his sensei just two days ago. It's been hard for him. For all of us."

"You're right." Misako agreed, "But, how do you cope with it?"

"We try to help each other by keeping each other company or distracting ourselves. And, we remind ourselves that the guys would have wanted us to go on fighting." Nya said.

"That isn't to say we do not miss them." PIXAL explained, "Because we do."

"Yeah, most of the time. I don't miss having to be loyal to Kai, though. Now I can hit on whoever I want." Skylar added. Nya elbowed her again. "I mean, I miss him so much! What will we ever do without him?" She said.

:::::::

When Lloyd woke up from surgery, the first thing he asked was whether everyone was okay. Misako explained that they were fine, but that it could have been a lot worse. Then Nya, PIXAL, and Skylar scolded him from going off on his own.

The doctor came in to check his vitals, and explained that he would need to stay in the hospital for a few days.

"But, who's going to protect the resistance?" Lloyd asked frantically.

"Well, we can do it until you get back." Skylar suggested.

"But what if you get hurt, too?" Lloyd asked. The girls glared at him.

"I took down an entire realm on my own." Nya said.

"I was inside Zane's head, controlling the entire Destiny's Bounty, helping each of you with your individual missions, running the Samurai Cave's computer, and still saving Ninjago as Samurai X at the same time." PIXAL said.

"I grew up with a villain for a father, became a snake, and I'm still ridiculously beautiful." Skylar added, flipping her hair.

"We can handle this." They said in unison.

 **A/n: Normally, when I'm posting a story, I post every Monday and Thursday. However, due to a change in schedule on Mondays, this story will be posted every SUNDAY and THURSDAY.**


	2. Chapter 2: The Colossi

**A/n: So, in this chapter we'll finally get to the main plot, which involves PIXAL, Nya, Skylar, and their new friend. I hope you enjoy!**

After quite a bit of convincing, Lloyd finally agreed to let PIXAL, Nya, and Skylar protect Ninjago. They left the hospital and went back to Mistake's tea shop to make a plan.

"I think we should have some sort of system for missions and things." Nya suggested, "That way, none of us end up like Lloyd."

"I agree." PIXAL said, "No one should be rushing into places on their own."

"Right. And, I was thinking maybe we should have patrol?" Nya added.

"Alright, but I am _not_ doing the morning shift." Skylar said, "I like sleep, thank you very much."

"That's fine." PIXAL told her, "I don't sleep, so I can take the night shifts."

"Great." Nya agreed, "And I can take-"

 _"_ _Nya, Skylar, PIXAL?"_ Misako's voice came over the radio in Mistake's shop.

"We're right here, Misako. What is it?" Nya asked.

 _"_ _I just received word from Mistake that Garmadon's Colossi is heading into the mountains."_ Misako explained. _"_ _It looks like it's heading towards a small village."_

"Okay, we're on it." Nya said, then ended the call, "PIXAL, can we take the route Kai used when following Pythor and the Overlord?" **(A/n: This took place in Season 3, Episode 6)**

"Yes." PIXAL answered.

"Then let's go." Skylar exclaimed.

:::::::

A few minutes later, the girls were driving towards the mountains in Lloyd's car. They could've taken their own rides, but the green ninja had insisted on their using it. They were listening to one of the car's playlists, and were surprised to find that all of Lloyd's music was classical.

"Don't you have anything other than piano on your playlist?" Skylar asked, scrolling through the list. As the others had found, she cared very deeply about her music.

"Okay, so when you get there, make sure not to park too close to the Colossi." Lloyd said over video chat.

"We know." Nya told him.

"And don't get too close to his feet. Take the high ground if you can. Otherwise, you'll get crushed." Lloyd ordered.

"We know." Skylar told him.

"You all have weapons, right?" Lloyd asked. They all held up their weapons. "And backups?" Lloyd asked. They held up their backups. "And backup backups?" Lloyd asked. They held the weapons up. "Good." Lloyd sighed.

"Are we good to go now?" Skylar asked.

"Wait," Lloyd added, " make sure you destroy that thing once and for all."

"We will do our best." PIXAL replied.

"Oh, and one more thing-" Lloyd started.

"We'll see you when we get back. Bye, Lloyd!" Nya interrupted, and then ended the call.

"…Be careful." Lloyd finished. He lay back in his hospital bed. "That monster killed my brothers, and I'm about to send the only family I have left to go fight it. Great thinking, Lloyd." He said to himself. "I swear, if I lose anyone else, I'll never forgive myself."

"But you won't lose anyone else." Misako replied.

"Mom! How long have you been listening?" Lloyd asked, turning to her.

"I just came in to give you some of the cookies Mistake and I made." Misako told him.

"Thanks." Lloyd replied, taking a cookie.

"Don't worry. They're tough girls. They'll be fine." Misako said, "And you're a good leader. They know what to do."

"I sure hope you're right." Lloyd sighed, "They're the only family I have left, other than you."

::::::

"Is anyone else slightly nervous?" Nya asked.

"Yeah." Skylar answered.

"A little." PIXAL agreed, "We have never fought anything so big, before. Not without the others."

"I know." Nya told her, "But, I think we can do it. We just have to work together, and keep fighting for Ninjago. It's what the guys would have wanted."

"How did they die, anyway? I don't think Lloyd ever told us." Skylar added.

"All he said was that they died tragically at the hands of Garmadon." PIXAL stated, "He did not specify how."

"Hmm. Weird." Nya sighed, "Hopefully, he'll tell us one day."

:::::::

When Skylar, Nya, and PIXAL reached the mountains, Garmadon's Colossi was waiting for them. PIXAL parked the car on a cliff's edge, high above the Colossi's head.

"Alright." Nya said, "Does everyone remember the plan?" PIXAL and Skylar nodded, and the three of them got out of the car. They walked to the cliff's edge, and Nya anchored a rope into the ground. She held the other end in her hand, and PIXAL an Skylar followed. "Ready?" Nya asked. The girls nodded. "3…2…1." Nya said. They all jumped.

Skylar landed on the Colossi's head, PIXAL landed on his shoulder, and Nya dangled in front of his face. PIXAL used the rope to swing around the Colossi's neck, and then back to his shoulder. She jumped up, and Skylar caught her rope, tangling the two together.

"Hello." Nya said, and gave the Colossi a taunting smile. Like a cat after a mouse, he swung his hand at her. But Nya swung on her rope and wrapped it around his arm, entangling him. She then swung and tangled his other arm, so the Colossi couldn't hit her.

Next, PIXAL and Skylar swung their ropes around the Colossi, tangling his entire body in ropes until they reached his ankles. There, they stood on his feet, and PIXAL called Lloyd's car over to them.

The car hit the Colossi square in the face, but he wasn't giving up. He managed to free one of his arms, and reached down. Grabbing PIXAL in his hand, he roared like a lion. Nya swung onto his shoulder, and then swung the rope all around the Colossi's body once more. She, too, ended at his feet.

"Now, PIXAL!" She shouted as she and Skylar jumped off of the Colossi's feet and ran for the nearest shelter, which happened to be a cave in the mountain.

At the same time, PIXAL called the Samurai X Mech, which was flying not too far away, Lloyd's car, and the VXL, which wasn't far either, towards her.

Together, the three vehicles rammed themselves into the Colossi's back. This time, he was not expecting it, and fell to the ground face first. There was a large boom that even Lloyd, who was in Ninjago City, could hear.

After a few seconds, Nya and Skylar stepped out of the cave and saw the Colossi lying on the ground in the small meadow located in the mountains. They quickly ran over to him, and watched PIXAL emerge from his hand.

"Way to go!" Nya said, high-fiving her.

"Yes! We finally did it!" Skylar shouted, pumping her fist.

"What should we do with him now?" Nya asked.

"I vote that we destroy this thing before he can hurt anyone else." Skylar said, "We could use our vehicles to push him off the mountain, or dump him in the ocean."

"But, what if he survives the fall?" Nya asked, "And what if he can swim? I don't want to take that chance."

"Well, we can't set him on fire, like Kai would want. He's made of stone, after all." Skylar said.

"Yeah, and I don't think he needs food or water, so it's not like he'll die if we just leave him here." Nya added.

While Skylar and Nya were discussing the details of killing the Colossi, PIXAL was patiently waiting for them to decide.

 _"_ _PIXAL!"_ A faint voice suddenly came through her communicator. It was masked by static, and she couldn't make out who it was, but they seemed worried.

"Yes? Who is this?" She asked.

 _"_ _PIXAL!"_ The voice came again. This time the connection was much stronger. There was no doubting who it was.

"Zane?" The female android asked, "Zane, is that you?" But the voice didn't come again. PIXAL knew she wasn't imagining things, but she didn't want to get the others' hopes up if it wasn't actually Zane. So she decided not to tell them.

Suddenly, there was a beeping in her head. A warning popped up in her vision. 'Rise in heart rate detected' the warning read. PIXAL glanced at the Colossi. No, it couldn't be.

She walked over to the giant beast, to where his head was. There, she looked into his big, purple eyes. PIXAL gasped. Both Nya and Skylar snapped their gazes towards her.

"What is it?" Nya asked.

"His eyes…I…sense Fear in them." PIXAL answered.


	3. Chapter 3: Fear

"Fear?" Skylar asked, "You sense…Fear in that _thing_? Are you sure you're not malfunctioning?"

"My system is working properly." PIXAL said, "He is fearful."

"That's exactly what a malfunctioning robot would say." Skylar whispered to Nya, "I always knew there would be a day when technology would take over the world. Should we run?" If looks could kill, PIXAL would have slaughtered Skylar by then. "Never mind. She's the same as normal." Skylar shrugged.

"What could a giant like him be afraid of?" Nya asked.

"Us, I assume." PIXAL replied.

"What? Why would such a big guy be afraid of us?" Skylar inquired.

"Perhaps because you were plotting ways to kill him." PIXAL suggested.

"Oh, right." Skylar answered.

"What should we do? If we let him go, he might attack us or the village. But if we leave him here, he might escape. Though, we can't exactly kill him, either." Nya said.

"Perhaps we could speak with him?" PIXAL suggested.

"He can't talk, PIXAL! Unless you happen to have a Colossi translator handy?" Skylar snapped. PIXAL shook her head.

"Unfortunately, I cannot translate his language. It may be the only one not in my database." She said, "But, if we let him go, we could make a deal with him."

"A deal?!" Nya asked, "He works for Garmadon, the man who killed the ninja, who killed Zane!"

"I know. But he didn't kill them, did he? Why is he to blame?" PIXAL asked. Nya looked down at the ground. "Look, I have been an accomplice to an evil emperor before. I know what it is like. Maybe this Colossi did not do anything wrong." She said.

"And maybe he did!" Skylar replied.

"No. PIXAL's right. It's worth a try. If we can get him on our side, maybe we can use him against Garmadon. We need all the help we can get, right?" Nya said.

"Fine. But if he hurts anyone, the damage is on you two. Got it?" Skylar asked. PIXAL and Nya nodded, then walked over to the Colossi. "Are we even sure he can understand us?" Skylar inquired.

"Yes." PIXAL said, "If he can understand Garmadon's orders, then he can understand what we are saying, too."

She turned to the Colossi, and looked him right in the eyes again. This time, she could see the slightest bit of hope in them.

"If we let you go, you must promise not to hurt us, or anyone else." PIXAL said, "Do we have a deal?" The Colossi gave a small groan, and then nodded. "Good." PIXAL said, "We will untie you, then.

Ten minutes later, with much effort, the girls had managed to untie the Colossi. He stood up, towering over them. However, the Colossi seemed fairly calm.

"Good." PIXAL sighed, "Now, I need you to sit." The Colossi groaned. "When you sit down, we will be able to communicate easier. You made a deal, so do it." PIXAL said firmly. By now, Skylar was beginning to shake, and gripped the female android's shoulder. Reluctantly, the Colossi sat down like a dog. "Good Boy." PIXAL told him, "That wasn't so hard, now was it?" The Colossi shook his head, and actually gave a rocky smile. The female android smiled back.

Skylar backed up from PIXAL and inched towards Nya.

"Did she just tame the Colossi?" Skylar whispered.

"I think so." Nya whispered back, "And it's a good thing, too. When he stood up, I thought he was going to attack us." She put her hand to her forehead, realized she'd been sweating immensely, and pulled a small, green sweat towel out of her pocket to wipe her face.

At that instant, the Colossi started growling, and lunged at Nya like a dog.

"Hey!" PIXAL yelled, getting his attention once more, "Do not hit people!" The colossi groaned, and pointed at the green towel. "I don't care if you're not a fan of the color green. If you are going to keep your end of the deal, you must act more civilized. Alright?" PIXAL said. The Colossi nodded, but still glared a Nya.

"You know what? I can just get a new towel." She said, taking the green towel and ripping it up. When the Colossi still didn't seem satisfied, Nya walked over to the edge of the meadow, where there was a large, steep cliff, and dropped it off the side. Finally, the Colossi relaxed.

Skylar glanced down at her watch, which read '4:00 PM.' They had arrived at 12:00, so they'd been in the mountains for four hours.

"We should probably head back to Ninjago." Skylar piped up. PIXAL turned to the Colossi.

"If we leave you here, you won't hurt the people, will you?" She asked. The Colossi nodded. "You will hurt the people?" PIXAL inquired, giving him one of her I-dare-you-to-disagree-with-me looks. Still, the Colossi nodded.

"If we stay, will you leave them alone?" Nya finally got the courage to ask. The Colossi nodded. "So you want us to stay?" Nya inquired. The Colossi nodded again.

"What, do you just not want to be left alone?" Skylar asked. The Colossi nodded. "So you don't want to be left alone. Perfect." Skylar groaned.

:::::::

A few minutes later, Skylar, Nya, and PIXAL were sitting on the ground facing the Colossi. They were in the midst of an awkward silence; everyone's least favorite thing.

"Should we introduce ourselves?" Skylar whispered to PIXAL.

"Great idea." PIXAL replied, standing up, "I'm PIXAL, the Primary Interactive X-ternal Assistant Lifeform. Nice to meet you." She put her hand out, and the Colossi put out a finger. They awkwardly shook hands, and PIXAL sat back down.

"I'm Nya," Nya said, standing up, "and I'm the water ninja." She shook the Colossi's finger, and sat back down.

"I'm Skylar." Skylar said, not standing up, "I run Chen, my father's noodle house." The Colossi extended his finger, but she refused to shake it.

"Do you have a name?" PIXAL asked him. The Colossi shook his head.

"Okay, well, we could give you a name." Nya said.

"Oh, great idea. Give the big, giant monster a name. Get attached to it until it kills us. Perfect." Skylar scoffed.

"Is there any object or animal you particularly like?" Nya asked, ignoring her. The Colossi shook his head. "Well, is there anything in this meadow that catches your eye?" Nya inquired. The Colossi looked around, seemed like he was about to point at something, and then dropped his hand. Sadly, he shrugged.

"Um, Okay…" Nya said, "That's fine. We'll find you a name. Hmm…How about C, for Colossi?" The Colossi shook his head.

"What about Conner?" PIXAL asked.

"I don't think that really suits him." Nya told her. "We could call him Chris."

"Come on, Nya." Skylar said, "He does _not_ look like a Chris."

"Well, maybe that's a good thing." Nya answered, "Maybe we should give him a name that doesn't fit with his face. I mean, he is kind of frightening."

"Then, we need to give him a happy name, like Sunshine or Rainbow." Skylar said.

"What about Joy?" Nya suggested.

"No, I have a better name." Skylar stated, "Clover! We can call him Clover! As in, a four leaf clover. You know, the kind that's lucky? After all, we'll be lucky if he doesn't attack us."

"Clover." Nya repeated, "I like it."

"Yeah. The real question is, does he?" Skylar asked, pointing to the Colossi.

He nodded.

"Okay." PIXAL said, "Then we will call you Clover."


	4. Chapter 4: Snow

"What are we going to do?" Skylar asked, "It's not like we can take that thing back to Ninjago with us, and he doesn't seem to want us to leave anytime soon."

"His name is Clover." Nya corrected her.

"I know. But I'm not going to call him that because I don't want to get too attached to a monster." Skylar said.

"Fine. And to answer your question, I don't know what we're going to do. I was thinking maybe we could spend the night here, and then decide tomorrow." Nya told her.

"Good luck getting Lloyd to agree to that." Skylar scoffed.

"We were not planning on telling Lloyd." PIXAL said, coming to sit down with them.

"Oh, great. Because that will make him trust us." Skylar said sarcastically. Suddenly, her phone rang. Skylar checked the caller ID, and sure enough, it was Lloyd. "Speak of the devil." She said, picking it up to answer. "Hello, Lloyd!" She said cheerfully.

 _"_ _Hey, Skylar, where have you guys been? It's 4:00 PM, and you're still not back yet. Is everyone okay?"_ Lloyd asked.

"Oh, yeah, everyone's fine." Skylar answered. Suddenly, Clover let out a loud groan. Skylar hoped Lloyd wouldn't hear it.

 _"_ _What was that? Are you guys safe?"_ Lloyd asked. Skylar internally cursed. She guessed it was too much to hope for that he hadn't heard it.

"Oh, that? It was just…Um…Your car's engine." Skylar stuttered. She put her hand over to phone so Lloyd couldn't hear. "You two had better keep that thing quiet!" She scolded. PIXAL and Nya nodded. Skylar uncovered the phone.

 _"_ _My car's engine?"_ Lloyd asked, _"_ _You three had better not have wrecked my ride."_

"Well, I'm sorry if that was the only way to defeat the Colossi." Skylar said. In the background, Clover let out a cough. PIXAL and Nya shushed him. But Lloyd didn't seem to notice.

 _"_ _You defeated the Colossi? Great job!"_ Lloyd exclaimed. In the background, Clover sneezed.

"Seriously, I didn't even know he could sneeze! He picks right now to do it?" Nya whisper-yelled.

 _"_ _Is that Nya?"_ Lloyd asked, _"_ _Let me talk to her!"_ Skylar handed Nya the phone.

"Hi, Lloyd!" She said. Again, Clover sneezed. PIXAL face palmed.

 _"_ _Hey! Great plan, Nya!"_ Lloyd said, _"_ _I knew it would work! Can I talk to PIXAL?"_

"Sure…Here she is." Nya said as she walked over to PIXAL. "Lloyd wants to talk to you." She whispered.

"Thanks." PIXAL whispered back.

"Sure." Nya said, thrusting the phone into PIXAL's hand.

"Hello, Lloyd." PIXAL said.

 _"_ _Hey, PIXAL!"_ Lloyd exclaimed, _"_ _Do you know how you're going to get rid of the Colossi?"_

"We were…Thinking that we would throw him off of the cliff." She said.

 _"_ _Oh. That should work."_ Lloyd said, _"_ _When do you three think you'll be back?"_

"Perhaps some time tomorrow?" PIXAL said, "We still need to repair you vehicle."

 _"_ _Okay, cool. Remember; be careful out there! Bye!"_ Lloyd called.

"Goodbye." PIXAL replied, ending the call. All three girls let out a sigh of relief.

"You know, I'm kind of hungry." Skylar said.

"Me, too." Nya agreed.

"You two can go to village and get something to eat, if you would like. I will stay here with Clover." She suggested.

"Okay." Skylar agreed.

:::::::

In the village, Nya and Skylar managed to find a noddle restaurant. They sat down to eat, but Nya seemed nervous.

"What is it?" Skylar asked.

"It's just…Do you think PIXAL will be okay with Clover?" Nya asked.

"Are you kidding?" Skylar asked, "She practically tamed that monster, all on her own. She'll be fine."

"I guess you're right." Nya agreed.

"Of course I am." Skylar stated.

"If we were to turn Clover to our side, and take him back to Ninjago, where do you think we'd put him?" Nya inquired.

"Well, he wouldn't really fit anywhere, except maybe Borg Industries, but it's been taken over by the Sons of Garmadon." Skylar said.

"But, what if he helped us defeat them? Then, do you think Lloyd would let us keep him?" Nya asked.

"Probably not." Skylar replied.

"What if he saved Lloyd's life? Then could we keep him?" Nya asked.

"Nya, you're acting like we just found a stray puppy that you want to keep. Why do you care so much?" Skylar inquired.

"Because he pretty much is just a giant stray puppy." Nya answered.

"Yeah, _Garmadon's_ stray puppy!" Skylar exclaimed.

"Right." Nya sighed.

:::::::

Meanwhile, PIXAL was sitting in the VXL, thinking about the message she'd received in her communicator. If she was right, and it was Zane, then he was alive! They all were.

But, if she was wrong, who could it have been? She had tried to contact them several times already, with no luck.

Suddenly, Clover stood up.

"What is it?" PIXAL asked. The Colossi looked at the sky, delight in his eyes. PIXAL got out of the car, and instantly knew why he was so happy. It was snowing!

Clover was trying to catch snowflakes on his tongue, like a small child. At this, PIXAL smiled.

"You like the snow, don't you?" She asked. The giant Colossi nodded. "Me, too." PIXAL agreed, "It reminds me of a friend I once had."

Clover took his finger and wrote something in the snow. 'Zane?' it read.

"Yes." PIXAL answered, "Zane.

'I'm sorry' the Colossi wrote.

"Sorry?" PIXAL asked, "For what? You did not kill the ninja. It was Garmadon and Hurumi, along with Killow and Ultra Violet."

Clover hung his head. 'Right' he wrote.

"Anyway, the others will be back soon. Are you hungry?" PIXAL asked.

'No' Clover wrote, 'I don't eat.'

"That's okay." PIXAL replied, "Neither do I. Plus, I don't know what we would feed you, anyway."

 **A/n: I have an announcement to make. I don't know if you've read my Bio, but I recently stated that I will be posting a new story on December 27, 2018.** ** _Red Roses_** **is on the darker side, but I really enjoyed writing it. It's a one shot about Hurumi, and the first time she killed someone. I hope you check it out!**

 **-SassyNinja130**

 **P.S: Please leave your reviews on** ** _Befriend the Beast_** **! I love hearing what you think!**


	5. Chapter 5: The Manicure

**A/n: This chapter doesn't really have much of a plot. I wrote it the day I first got my nails painted with gel, and I felt inspired.**

"My nail's chipped!" Nya exclaimed the second she and Skylar got back to PIXAL and Clover.

"I have heard that nail polish helps them to be stronger." PIXAL suggested, "Perhaps that will help?"

"I don't have any nail polish." Nya said, "Otherwise, I would have painted them maroon by now."

"Way ahead of you." Skylar said, walking to Lloyd's car. She took out her orange purse and unzipped it. From the purse she pulled a smaller bag. Skylar put the purse back in the car and brought the bag over to Nya. "I think there about thirty different colors in there. Take your pick."

"That's a lot of nail polish." Nya said, unzipping the little bag.

"Not really." Skylar replied, "This I just my travel-size bag. You should see the one I have at my house. I think it's around two hundred colors."

Nya went through the little bag and selected a maroon red nail polish. Within a few minutes she was waiting for her maroon hands to dry.

"I have a sparkly clear coat for you when that's finished drying." Skylar explained.

"Awesome!" Nya answered, blowing on her fingers. Suddenly, Clover whined like a lost puppy.

"What, do you want your nails painted, too?" Skylar scoffed. Clover nodded. "Seriously?" Skylar asked, surprised. Clover nodded. Skylar picked up her bag and looked inside. "Then, I guess we're going to need more paint." She sighed.

:::::::

"Do you think this will be enough?" Skylar asked after she and PIXAL had gone into town and bought several buckets of paint.

"Yeah. That should be good." Nya replied, watching as PIXAL unloaded ten buckets of paint; one for each finger, from Lloyd's car. Nya had stayed with Clover while they went to get paint. He wasn't great at conversation, but he had kept her company, nonetheless. "Do you have any paintbrushes?" Nya asked.

"Yeah." Skylar replied, "We got two brushes, which means I don't have to help." She smirked in the evil way that only she could.

An hour later, PIXAL and Nya had managed to put one coat of yellow paint on Clover's rocky nails.

"I think the color contrast was a good idea." Nya told him, "It'll really make your eyes pop." Clover gave her a small smiled. "Now, all you have to do is wait for them to dry. But _do not_ pick anything up, in the meantime. Or else, we'll have to redo it."

Of course, the second she said this, Clover suddenly had itches all over. It's not fun to try and ignore them, so he gave up and scratched them.

Another hour later, and PIXAL and Nya had had to repaint Clover's nails three times because of all of his itches. Finally, he sat still long enough for them to dry.

In the meantime, PIXAL did her one nails purple, and Skylar gave hers an orange coat. They both added sparkly clear coats to give them a real shine. Clover seemed to like that idea.

"Don't even think about it." Skylar told him, "I am not going back to the village just to find you clear, sparkly paint."

:::::::

Lloyd lay in his hospital bed, thinking about all of the good times he had had with his father. Garmadon may not have been the best dad, but he still cared about Lloyd. That much was obvious.

This is why it was so odd for Lloyd to see him resurrected. Only the worst parts of him had been brought back, and he no longer cared about his son at all.

Garmadon didn't care about anyone, anymore. In fact, Lloyd was sure that, if given the chance, he would kill anyone, just to get what he wanted. Knowing this made Lloyd worry for the only remaining family members he had left.

Misako and Mistake never went on missions, so Lloyd worried for them less. But PIXAL was used to working alone, as Samurai X. She wasn't very good at taking orders from him, because she had grown accustomed to making all of her own decisions in the face of danger.

Skylar was too stubborn and hot headed to listen to anything the green ninja had to say, and often rushed into dangerous situations without a plan. This reminded Lloyd of Kai.

Nya was used to working with Lloyd, but without the others, she was trying rediscover her place on the team, which was now only four people, rather than six.

To make matters worse, all of the girls, included his mom and Mistake, treated Lloyd like a small child. Sometimes they seemed to forget that he was the green ninja, and had defeated the Overlord the first time, as well as defeated Chen.

He wasn't a little kid anymore.

"You'll always be a little kid to me." He remembered Nya had told him on his birthday.

"Nya, I'm eighteen. I'm old enough to vote." He had replied.

"I know. But I'm pretty sure I still had to help you tie your shoes the other day." Nya had smirked.

"Hey! They were tangled, okay?" Lloyd had said. Of course, this resulted in laughter all around.

Just thinking of that day made Lloyd smile. He hoped Nya and the others were okay. They had been gone for more than four hours, now, and wouldn't return until the next day.

One thing was for sure. Garmadon's Colossi had hurt his friends, and he intended to make it pay.


	6. Chapter 6: It'll Never Last

**A/n: Hello, everyone! I'm so sorry I didn't update on Thursday! My computer locked me out of my account, and my Dad (Who's the only one in my house that knows ANYTHING about technology) didn't get back until today. So, to make up for it, I'll be posting chapters 6** ** _and_** **7 today. I hope you enjoy!**

After everyone's nails dried, the Sun began to set. By now, it was around 7:00 PM.

"I've always thought the sunset was one of the most beautiful things in the world." Nya said, "All of the pinks, purples, blues, oranges, and reds…You would never think they could get along. But, when put together, they can actually make a spectacular sight."

"In Borg Industries, I never really cared. It was just a natural event that occurred every day." PIXAL agreed, "But I think the most important part is the sunset is the transition from day to night. Almost like the transition from one stage of life into the next."

"I never thought about it like that." Nya admitted, "But I guess you're right."

"Okay, now you guys are getting really corny." Skylar said.

"Sorry." Nya apologized, "I just…Haven't watched a sunset since…"

"…Since the guys died." Skylar finished, "I know. Me neither." Suddenly, Clover seemed sad. His posture slouched, and he looked down at the ground.

"Cheer up." PIXAL told him, "The Sun will come back tomorrow, so you will see it again." Clover gave her a half-smile, but she had no idea what was really getting him down. After spending the day with her, Nya, and Skylar, he had felt worse and worse about killing their friends. But he had no idea how to tell them the truth, especially because he couldn't speak.

Suddenly, Clover got an idea. He bent down to the ground where the girls were standing and put out his hand.

"What, do you want a treat, or something?" Skylar asked. Clover shook his head.

"I think he wants us to stand on his hand." Nya said.

"I'm not touching that thing." Skylar stated.

"Come on, Skylar." PIXAL said, taking her hand and pulling her over. The three girls stood on Clover's hand, and he slowly moved it so that they were sitting on his shoulder.

Skylar gripped PIXAL's shoulder with all of her strength, afraid for her life.

"He will not hurt us." PIXAL told her, "We made a deal. Remember?" Skylar nodded. Then looked back at the sunset. She found that she could actually get a better view of it from Clover's shoulder.

"Thanks, Clover." Nya sighed, "This is much better."

She didn't notice it, but the Colossi smiled.

:::::::

"You know it'll never last." Skylar said after the sunset was over and Clover had put the girls down. PIXAL was walking the Colossi before everyone turned in for the night, and Skylar and Nya were searching Lloyd's car for blankets. They had found that, if Clover was walked like a dog, he would be able to sit still for longer and maybe even rest for a few hours. After all, he, like PIXAL, was incapable of sleep.

"What do you mean?" Nya asked.

"I mean your relationship with that monster." Skylar replied.

"He's not a monster. You saw for yourself." Nya told her.

"I admit that he's not an _entirely evil_ monster, but he's still a monster. He still works for Garmadon, the man who killed our friends. That means Lloyd won't approve." Skylar explained, "Which is why you shouldn't get too attached."

"Is that why you're so cold to him? Because you don't want to get attached, and then get hurt when we can't see Clover anymore?" Nya inquired.

"I guess that's part of it." Skylar admitted.

"Is there another reason?" Nya asked.

"Well, he _is_ Garmadon's Colossi, and Lloyd _didn't_ tell us how our friends died. So, it's possible that Clover may have had something to do with it." Skylar explained.

"Clover?" Nya asked, "That big puppy dog? He would never kill them."

"But he has killed people before. He didn't become a 'big puppy dog' until we tamed him." Skylar said.

"I know. But, if he had killed them, he would have found a way to tell us, right?" Nya asked.

"Maybe." Skylar answered, "I mean, it's just a theory, but it's still one we have to consider."

"I know." Nya admitted, "And you made a good point earlier; we can't stay up here in the mountains with Clover forever."

"Exactly. So enjoy it while it lasts." Skylar agreed.

"And there's absolutely no way Lloyd would be okay with him?" Nya asked, "Not even I he could help us defeat Garmadon?"

"Well, Maybe. If Clover helped us defeat Garmadon, Lloyd might just let him stay. But there's still the possibility that he won't."

"True." PIXAL agreed, "However, I believe it is worth a try."

:::::::

Later that night, Skylar was sitting in the little cave, listening to her playlist. Though most of the songs were old, they still helped calm her, as they reminded her of when she was little, and times were simpler.

"Ah, Kindergarten, Pre-School, those were the good old days." She sighed.

Suddenly, a twig snapped behind her. Skylar whipped around, only to find Nya approaching her with a cup.

"Oh, it's just you." Skylar said.

"Yeah, I thought you might like some hot chocolate; it's cold out here." Nya replied, handing her a pink mug with blue flowers all over.

"Thanks." Skylar said shortly.

"Is something bothering you?" The water ninja asked, sitting down next to her.

"No." Skylar answered, taking a sip.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Nya inquired.

"No." Skylar answered.

"Okay." Nya sighed.

:::::::

Meanwhile, in Borg Industries, which had been taken over by Garmadon, Hurumi was wondering where Clover was.

"My Emperor, the Colossi has not returned since over twelve hours ago." She told Garmadon, "I am beginning to worry…"

"Calm down, daughter." Garmadon replied, "He's a big boy. He can take care of himself. Plus, if I need him back here suddenly, I can just use my powers to call him."

"But, what do you think happened to make his mission take this long? He was only supposed to terrorize a mountain village." Hurumi replied.

"He probably got held up by the remaining members of the resistance." Garmadon told her.

"For more than twelve hours?" Hurumi inquired.

"Yes, if my son is with them. He can be quite difficult, at times." Garmadon sighed.

"I am aware. But Killow and Ultra Violet attacked him yesterday. If what they told me is true, then he should be in the hospital right now. How could he be fighting our Colossi?" Hurumi asked.

"Hmm." Garmadon replied, "Strange…"


	7. Chapter 7: The Message

**A/n: So, in this chapter we're actually going to see what was happening to the rest of the ninja during the first week of Garmadon's rein.**

Three teenage boys trekked through the sand near the wreckage of their ship. It was their third day stranded on this island, and they weren't in great shape. The fog was so thick today, they couldn't see their own hands in front of their faces. It probably wasn't the best idea to walk around in this whether, but they were running out of food; fast.

They had come with two others, but had left them in the destroyed ship. One was dressed in a ripped up blue ninja uniform, another in red, and, in the worst shape, one in black. As always, the boy in blue was the first to speak.

"So, how was everyone's day?" He asked.

"Really? You seriously just asked that?" The one in black replied. The blue boy hung his head.

"I was just trying to break the silence." He said.

"I don't know what I'll do if we don't get back." The one in red said, running his fingers through his tangled, spiky hair.

"Don't say that, Kai! Think positive. What will you do when we _do_ get back?" The one in blue asked.

"Probably go see my sister, my parents, and Skylar. You know, make sure they know I'm not dead." Kai explained.

"That's _if_ they're not dead by the time we get back." The one dressed in black told him.

"Hey! Positive thoughts, here!" The blue on scolded, "Now, what are you going to do when we get back, Cole?"

"I'm going to eat a whole tub of ice cream, that's what!" Cole exclaimed, "Being here has made me realize how much I miss it."

"What about cake?" The one in blue asked.

"Make that ice cream cake." Cole smiled.

"And you, Jay?" Kai asked.

"Oh, well, I've had this plan for a while…" Jay said, kicking at the dirt.

"Oh?" Kai asked.

"Yeah. I was thinking, once this is all over, maybe I could propose to Nya. I mean, we _have_ been dating for, like, six years." As soon as Jay said it, he wished he hadn't. This was Nya's brother he was talking to, after all! Of course Kai wasn't going to approve!

To the blue ninja's surprise, Kai smiled.

"So, you're finally going to ask her!" He exclaimed.

"We're proud of you dude!" Cole said, clamping him on the back.

"That takes a lot of courage." Kai agreed.

"So, would you ever propose to Skylar?" Jay inquired. Kai froze, then burst out laughing. He stopped abruptly.

"No." Kai replied, "In all honesty, she'll probably be the one to ask me. And by ask, I mean she'll tell me that we're getting married, and when to be at the wedding."

At this, all three boys burst out laughing.

:::::::

From the destroyed ship, little Wu could hear Kai, Cole, and Jay laughing. _'At least someone is enjoying themselves right now.'_ He thought. The little boy sighed. He missed Lloyd, Nya, PIXAL, Skylar, Misako, and everyone else he'd met back in Ninjago. He was hungry, he was cold, and he didn't understand why they couldn't just go home already.

This island was scaring him; there were so many dragons around! Wu wanted someone to tell him that it was okay, that he was safe now, but so far, no one could deliver on that request.

Above him, Wu heard Zane's groan, and then a loud bang on the table. Had Zane hit it? Wu had never known the ice ninja to get so angry, but they were in a tight spot at the moment. He decided to go investigate.

When Wu went upstairs to what was left of the main deck, Zane was sitting on his knees, his head in his hands.

"Zane?" Wu called, "Are you alright."

"Yes." The android replied without looking him in the eye. Zane slowly stood up, and looked at the boy.

"What are you doing?" Wu asked. The android gave Wu a weak smile, and then sighed.

"I have been trying to contact PIXAL to tell her we're alive for the last three days." Zane explained, "Now, I just made connection, but it was so weak that it cut out almost immediately. I'm not even sure if she heard me."

"Why do you want to contact her so bad? Can't you just tell her when we get back to Ninjago?" Wu inquired.

"Because we share a heart!" Zane snapped. Wu flinched. He had never heard Zane raise his voice like that before. The ice ninja realized his mistake, and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry." He apologized, "It's just; PIXAL and I share a heart, which means that, when the emotions are strong enough, we can sense what one another is feeling. Lately, I have been sensing great sadness, anger, and fear from her. I need to tell her that we're okay, and make sure she is, too. Do you understand?"

Little Wu gave him a confused expression.

"Maybe…" He said. Zane sighed. "Nope." Wu admitted, "You lost me when you started explain the whole telepathy thing."

"It's not telepathy." Zane said. Wu arched an eyebrow.

"Okay, it is kind of telepathy." The ice ninja admitted, "But do you understand why I need to contact her so badly?"

"Yes." Wu said, "So how are you going to do that? Think really hard?"

"I guess we could try that." Zane shrugged.

"You mean you haven't tried thinking hard yet?" Wu exclaimed.

"No…" the android admitted.

"Well, then, think away." Wu said. Zane nodded, and closed his eyes. Faint beeping sounds could be heard coming from his head.

"I am going to attempt to reach out to PIXAL's communicator, and speak with her through that." Zane explained. He took a deep breath, and the beeping continued. "Almost there…" He said after a few seconds. Suddenly, a warning lit up in vision, and a small explosion took place in his brain. The titanium ninja froze. "Wu," He whispered, "I need you to get a screwdriver, and open up the back of my head."

"Um, okay…" Wu replied. A few minutes later, he was sifting through his friends scull, trying to locate the damage. "This was all I could find." He said, handing Zane a small silver box.

The android held it in his hand, turned it over, and sighed.

"What?" What is it?" Wu asked. When Zane didn't respond, he turned the titanium ninja around, and looked him in the eye. "Zane, what is that?"

"My communicator." Zane sighed, "It's fried. It must've heated up while I was trying to speak with PIXAL."

"Well, that's okay." Wu said, "We'll just get a new one."

"I'm afraid we cannot get a new one." Zane said, "And without it, I am unable to contact anyone in Ninjago."


	8. Chapter 8: Going Home

**A/n: So, I just finished my finals this week! I'm SO relieved! Hope all of yours are going well!**

"Are you sure he'll be okay if we leave him here?" Nya asked.

"He's a big boy; he can take care of himself." Skylar replied, "Plus, it's good to take a break sometimes. This will help everyone."

"Do you think he'll behave himself?" Nya inquired. Skylar glanced over to where Clover was sitting. PIXAL was telling him the rules, and seemed very serious about it.

"Yeah. As long as PIXAL's here, he'll be too afraid to defy her." Skylar chuckled. Even though the female android was the shortest of everyone (including Lloyd and the other ninja) at just five-three (Nya and Skylar were both five-nine), she was extremely terrifying when she wanted to be.

"No attacking anyone," PIXAL told the Colossi, "no destroying anything, going back to Garmadon, or attacking Lloyd when we bring him back. Do you understand?" Clover nodded. "Good. We will be back some time this evening, and I will expect you to be on your best behavior."

Clover nodded, and saluted the android. PIXAL smiled, and gestured to Nya and Skylar that they were good to go.

"Alright." Skylar said, getting in the car.

"Bye, Clover!" Nya called.

"See you tonight." Skylar added. She still wasn't the Colossi's biggest fan, but he had started to grow on her.

Clover waved at them as they drove off, speeding down the windy mountain road. On the outside, the Colossi smiled.

But on the inside, he was worried about what might happen when Lloyd came up to the mountains.

After all, the Green Ninja had been there the night Clover had killed his friends, and Lloyd would most certainly recognize him. The giant sighed.

He really had enjoyed spending the last few days with Nya, PIXAL, and Skylar. They had kept him company, and for the first time in his life, he had had friends.

But, if Lloyd told the girls the truth about that night, Clover suspected that his new friendship with them would go down in flames.

:::::::

 _"_ _Lloyd, can you hear me?"_ Nya's voice came over the Green Ninja's communicator. He scrambled out of bed and across the room to answer it.

"Yep. Loud and clear. What do you need?" Lloyd asked.

 _"_ _We're on our way back now. Is Misako there?"_ Nya asked.

"Yeah, why?" Lloyd replied.

 _"_ _Because we need to talk to her, duh!"_ Skylar told him.

"Oh. I'll go get her." Lloyd said. There were shuffling sounds and voices on his end, before Misako picked up the communicator.

"Can I help you?" She asked.

 _"_ _Misako! We just spent the last two days with Garmadon's Colossi and he's super sweet and we want to keep him and we need your help!"_ All three girls yelled at once.

"Girls, slow down. What's the problem?" Misako inquired.

 _"_ _You know how we weren't sent on that mission in the mountains to fight the Colossi?"_ Nya asked.

"Yes. Lloyd has been worried sick about all of you, why?" Misako replied.

 _"_ _Well, we defeated him, and we were going to kill him, but PIXAL said she could sense sadness in him, so we didn't. Then she managed to tame him!"_ Skylar exclaimed.

"Really?" Misako asked, "PIXAL tamed the Colossi?"

 _"_ _Yeah, and then we started spending time with him, and we really got to like him. Now, we think he can help us defeat Garmadon!"_ Nya told her.

"That's great, girls. But you know Lloyd won't approve." Misako sighed, "And, like it or not, he is kind of the leader around here."

 _"_ _We know. That's why we were going to take him up here and introduce him to Clover. That's the Colossi's name. Maybe if he meets him, Lloyd won't be so worried."_ Skylar said.

"It's possible." Misako agreed, "But why do you need me for that?"

 _"_ _You are his mother, correct?"_ PIXAL finally spoke.

"Of course." Misako said.

 _"_ _We were hoping that you could calm him down long enough for his rational thoughts to take over."_ PIXAL said.

"I suppose I could." Misako replied, "When will you be back?"

 _"_ _Judging by the traffic, I'd say about twenty minutes."_ Nya told her.

"Got it. I will get him ready." Misako replied.

:::::::

"Hi, Lloyd!" Skylar called as she, PIXAL, and Nya walked through the door.

"Hi." Lloyd responded.

"Ready to go on a trip?" Nya inquired.

"Didn't you just get back from a trip?" Lloyd asked.

"Yes, but we have a surprise for you!" Skylar exclaimed.

"Um, okay?" Lloyd asked. PIXAL blindfolded him, and along with Misako, the girls loaded Lloyd into the car. A few minutes later, Mistake walked out of the back of the shop, coughing.

"Nya!" She called between coughs, "I seem to have set the oven on fire. Would you mind doing your master of water thing?" The old woman looked around. "Where did everyone go?" She asked. A smoke detector went off, and she grabbed a fire extinguisher. "This will have to do." She sighed.

After about fifteen minutes, Lloyd asked how long the ride was going to take.

"Oh, about forty five more minutes." Skylar told him.

"So, it's outside Ninjago City?" Lloyd inquired.

"Yes." PIXAL replied.

"Can you at least tell me what we're going to do there?" Lloyd asked.

"Just a little meet n' greet…" Nya said, "With someone we met in the mountains."

"Oh?" Lloyd asked, "A child?"

"I guess you could say that." Skylar told him.

"What do you mean?" Lloyd asked.

"Just that he's a bit bigger than most kids." Misako responded.

"What's his name?" Lloyd inquired.

"Clover." Nya said, "His name's Clover."

When they pulled up into the mountains, Lloyd was more excited than ever.

"Is it a party? When can I take the blindfold off?" He asked.

"Now." Nya said. Lloyd pulled off the blindfold, looked around, and froze when he saw the Colossi standing there.

"Lloyd, I'd like you to meet Clover." PIXAL said.

"The Colossi." Skylar added.


	9. Chapter 9: The Truth Comes Out

**A/n: Merry Christmas! I decided to postpone the final chapter so I'd a have some sort of Christmas present to give you, if you celebrate that!**

"Is it a party? When can I take the blindfold off?" Lloyd asked.

"Now." Nya said. Lloyd pulled off the blindfold, looked around, and froze when he saw the Colossi standing there.

"Lloyd, I'd like you to meet Clover." PIXAL said calmly.

"The Colossi." Skylar added.

For a few seconds, Lloyd didn't move. He didn't say a word. If you didn't know any better, one might think he was frozen.

"What?" Lloyd finally asked.

"The Colossi." Skylar replied, "He's our friend now."

"WHAT?!" Lloyd screamed. In the distance, a flock of birds few away upon hearing the noise.

"Yeah." Nya whispered, "The best way to defeat your enemy is to make him your friend, right?"

"What?" Lloyd asked, "Where in the world did you learn that?"

"Uh, you and the other guys." Skylar replied.

"Right." Lloyd sighed, "Me. Me and…Me and them…" He pulled out his phone, and turned it on. The lock screen wallpaper was a picture of him, Jay, Kai, Cole, Zane, and toddler Wu; the day before the guys had died. Lloyd hadn't looked at that picture since, and now that he was, hundreds of new emotions were brought back to the surface of his mind. And with them, a flashback.

Lloyd remembered the day his closest friends died. He had been fighting Hurumi, jumped onto a train, and thought he would get away. However, he didn't expect her chase him down.

The green ninja had ended up throwing toddler Wu to the ninja, who were on the Destiny's Bounty, flying close by. Lloyd couldn't make the jump. The next thing he knew, the ship was in the hands of…Of Garmadon's Colossi. "Clover," as the girls called him, had killed the ninja.

Should he tell them? If this friendship was really genuine, then they deserved to know the truth, didn't they? Yes, they did.

"Alright." Lloyd said.

"What?" Skylar asked.

"Alright." Lloyd replied, "I'm fine with this friendship, on one condition."

"What's that?" Nya inquired.

"You need to know the truth about 'Clover.'" Lloyd answered. All three girls looked at Clover, who hung his head.

"What do you mean?" PIXAL asked.

"I mean, he hasn't told you what he did, has he?" Lloyd smirked.

"In case you didn't notice, Lloyd, he's a giant rock monster. He can't talk!" Skylar scoffed.

"Then allow me to tell you." Lloyd said, "'Clover,' over there, is the one who killed Kai, Zane, Jay, Cole, and toddler Wu."

"What? You said they died at the hands of Garmadon." Nya stated, confused.

"Yeah, and he works for Garmadon, doesn't he?" Lloyd replied, "He's the one that smashed the Destiny's Bounty, killing our friends."

"Clover, is this true?" PIXAL asked, turning to the Colossi. He hung his head, and nodded.

"So you killed them, and didn't tell us about it?" Skylar asked. Clover looked at her as if to say 'well, I can't talk, so I couldn't exactly tell you…'

"How could you do that to us?" Nya inquired, "I mean, I know we weren't friends back then, but I didn't think you were capable of murder."

"I don't believe this." Skylar said coldly. Then she looked down at the floor. "See? This is why I told you we shouldn't get too attached." She sniffled.

"I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this." Lloyd answered.

"No, we understand." PIXAL sighed. Her eyes were getting watery.

"Let's go. I don't want to be here anymore." Nya said through tears. She, PIXAL, and Skylar turned to walk back to the car. Lloyd followed them, but looked over his shoulder at Clover, and gave him an evil smirk.

Anger boiled inside the Colossi's heart, and he lunged forward, ready to hit the Green ninja.

"Stop!" PIXAL shouted. Clover instantly froze. "I know you are upset about what Lloyd said, but we had a right to know." She said. Clover sighed.

"Don't follow us." Skylar said, tears streaming down her face.

"Don't even come near any of us, for that matter. Just go home to Garmadon." Nya added, getting in the car and slamming the door behind her. Skylar and Lloyd followed.

Clover looked at PIXAL as if to say 'not you, too…'

"Goodbye, Clover." She sighed, and then got in the car with the others.

:::::::

"So, why did you decide to name him Clover?" Lloyd asked.

"Because four leaf clovers are lucky, and we were going to be lucky if he didn't attack us." Skylar told him.

"I see." Lloyd replied, "But why Clover? It's so happy, for such a scary guy."

"It made me feel less scared. Deal with it." Skylar said.

"Okay…" Lloyd sighed.

:::::::

Lloyd and the girls returned to Ninjago, and Clover returned to Garmadon's Headquarters. Nya and PIXAL fought harder each day, trying to protect the resistance. Skylar decided that it might be time to call in some help, and went to find the other elemental masters.

The girls ran into Clover several times after that, but he never attacked them. The Colossi was keeping his promise not to hurt them.

When PIXAL used her mech to attack Garmadon, and Clover had to pull her out of the sky, he still did it with care, so as not to damage the Samurai Mech more then was necessary.

Even when the android was taken to Kryptarium Prison, he would visit the building every day. He never saw her, though.

The day everyone escaped from the prison, PIXAL found the word 'Clover' written in the san outside.

PIXAL, Nya, and Skylar watched as their friends finally defeated the Colossi, killing him. They didn't cry for him. They couldn't, after learning that he had almost killed their friends.

But they did mourn him, secretly. For Clover had helped them get the through the supposed death of their friends. They would never forget him.

Because no matter what, friendship doesn't die. Not completely.


End file.
